The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-06-18

When the first settlement in Ohio was
made at Marietta in IT'S, tho valley of the
Hooking was peopled by several tribes of
the Wyandot Indians. There were two
Indian towns within the present limits of
Fairfield County The chief one was
called Tarhe town. 1t was situated on
the north bauk of the Hooking river, and
extended 10 the southeast border of Ian
caster. The town was named after the
Indian chief, Tarhc, who governed it, and
contained about five hundred inhabitants.
Nine miles to the west was an Indian viii
lage called Toby Town. At the close of
the great Indian war that commenced in
1872 treaty was made with the Indians
at Fort Greenvillc, the present county
seat of Darke County. BY the terms of
this treaty the Indians abandoned their
hunting grounds in the Hooking Valley
and moved northward toward Sandusky
The treaty of Fort Greenville was signed
on the 3d day Of August, 1795. few In
dians, loath to leave the graves of their
fathers, fingered about the old towns for
several years, but they were not ill dis
posed, and gave the white settlers no con-
Germ.
There were days when the life of white
man was not safe in the Hooking Valley.
and the most dangerous period was during
the Indian war that closed with the treaty
of Fort Greenville. During that war two
white scouts named Wctzel and Maywood
were one day observing the movements of
thelndians from place of concealment OH
Mount Pleasant, near the sit, of Lancas-
ter. The rocks and dense growth of pine
trees on the sides and top OF the mount
gave ample shelter to the scouts, and in
case of attack promised valuable hiding
places from the shots of their rod foes
The sides of the mountain wero steep and
high, so there was not much danger of an
open attack if their presence was discov-
cred by the savages, but there was before
them the fear that the Indians would sur
round the base of the mountain and starve
the scouts into surrender which of course
meant death by horrible torture.
Three-quarters of Il mile west of Mount
Pleasant, says Mr.. Scott, one of the narra-
tors of the story, is o hill, which at that
time was covered with dense forest. The
ground between the hill and Mount Pleas
ant was also richly wooded. A few feet
from the southwest base of the hill the
Hooking river flowed, and beyond it
stretching off to the west was a grassy
prairie. From the south base of the hill
there gushed powerful current of clear.
cool water, which was then and is still
known as the "Cold Spring" A well-worn
foot-path led to the spring, which the In
dians made daily use of. The path was
well shut in by a growth of trees and
bushes, and the stream was overhung
with arching boughs. The spring was so
inclosed by leaves and branches that one
approaching it was not likely to be seen
by any of the main body of Indians, whose
movements the scouts were watching.
but, Of course ran the risk of meeting
some rowing Indian orsquaw.
Nightly the scouts went to the cold |
spring for water; one kept watch on the |
mountain crest while the other made the |
perilous trip to the spring
The scouts had been watching the In |
dians for several days, and had not been
discovered and had met with no adventure.
Evening came again, and one of them, the
daring Wetzel, descended the mountain
with his accustomed caution and picked
his way quietly toward tho spring The
night was soft and still. The silence was
80 dense that 1t seemed awesome and
even oppressive. It was that FACILITATING
kind OF Stiffness that often precedes some
great physical or natural phenomenon,
and Wetzel, old settlers who handed down
The story tell, had feeling that something
would happen.
Something did happen.
Wetzel reached the spring, filled his can
'cen with water and was stealing his way
pack. He was just turning round the
'outhern base of the hill when suddenly.
md without the least warning sound, he